With Trump gone, it is in India’s interest now to modify its approach towards the US
There was nothing unusual in Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeting about his interaction with US President Joe Biden but POTUS choosing to remain silent on the micro-blogging site entails a message. Gone are the days of “Howdy, Modi” and “Namaste, Trump” when Modi and the former American President hugged each other, walked hand in hand and their informal bonding was the bedrock of Indo-American relations. India will now have to deal with a seasoned and astute politician in Biden and not someone as unpredictable as his predecessor who was nothing more than a “butt of a joke” because of his posturing and scattershot policies. New Delhi should keep in mind that in his first diplomatic address, Biden did not mention India even once though he hinted that he would turn the heat on arch-rivals China and Russia. India must not consider his aggressive posturing towards Beijing as something that will favour its interests in the region as Biden, at the same time, asserted that Washington is ready to work with China if that is in its own interest. In his first official interaction with Biden, Modi discussed at length a host of issues including the COVID-19 pandemic, regional matters, climate change, global economy, terrorism and so on. The leaders agreed to continue the close cooperation between the nations to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific. Modi even invited Biden and the First Lady to visit India at their earliest convenience. All of this points towards the soft diplomacy that is being undertaken at this stage by both the countries.
But instead of Biden tweeting like Modi, the White House released an official statement detailing the interaction. The message it carries is that the days of “tall talk” on social media are now over with Trump’s era and Indian policymakers should not expect Biden to behave and act in the manner his predecessor did. It also seems likely that the world will no longer witness the US President and the Indian Prime Minister seconding each other’s statements and praising each other on Twitter. During the interaction, the two leaders resolved that the democratic process must be upheld in Myanmar. It simply implies that POTUS wants to see New Delhi playing a pivotal role in restoring the democratic regime in erstwhile Burma. The US well understands that Myanmar’s junta may join hands with communist China for currying favour in the United Nations Security Council and, if that happens, the continuation of the military regime in Burma will only strengthen Beijing in the region. The growing influence of China, which pursues an expansionist policy both on land and in sea, will be against the interests of both New Delhi and Washington. As per the White House note, the “leaders agreed to stay in close touch on a range of global challenges”; however, we should not take it without a pinch of salt and this “closeness” would certainly be a bit different from what it was with Trump. Now India needs to make some smart moves as dealing with the American President looks like serious business.